Data vending machine system and method thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a data vending machine system and a method thereof, and in particular to a data vending machine system and a method thereof which are capable of selecting a certain music file, recording the selected music file onto a recording medium and printing a selected image and character message on a surface of the recording medium. The present invention includes a host computer for storing a digital music file and a plurality of remote data vending machine connected with the host computer. The data vending machine includes at least one listing and reserving apparatus for providing a reservation function of the music files selected by the customer, a database and fabrication control apparatus for storing a part of the music files stored in the host computer and recording the selected music file onto the recording medium, and a charge paying unit. There are further provided a main apparatus which performs the entire control operation of the data vending machine so that the music files selected by the customer is fabricated as one music album, and a network apparatus for thereby effectively managing the database of the remote data vending machine and minimizing the waiting time of the customer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a data vending machine system and amethod thereof, and in particular to a data vending machine system and amethod thereof which are capable of recording a music selected by a user(customer) onto a recording medium, printing a certain photo andcharacter message selected by a user on a surface of a recording medium(CD: Compact Disc or DVD: Digital Video Disc) for thereby manufacturinga demand-on music album.

2. Description of the Background Art

Recently, as a data compression and communication technique is advanced,the use of selecting a computer communication service site or a certaininternet site for thereby listening a selected music or downloading theselected music is sharply increased. However, in order to download anduse the compressed music file, a certain reproducing apparatus such as aPC (Personal Computer) having a sound card therein or a MPEG player isneeded. In addition, as an interest in an intellectual right isincreased, the persons having an intellectual property right restrictdownloading a compressed data file on a computer communication andreproducing the downloaded compressed data files.

In order to overcome the above-described problems, various methods forconverting a data file, which is compressed in such a manner that acompressed music file is reproduced using a CD reproducing apparatus ora cassette tape reproducing apparatus, onto a wave format file or and ananalog format file and recording onto a recording medium for selling thesame are disclosed.

Various techniques for remotely selling a certain music compressed evenin a digital format file or other formats are disclosed. Thesetechniques have the following elements. Namely, a conventional systemincludes a database for storing a digital data, an input unit such as akeyboard or a touch screen for selecting a certain data as a dataselection unit, an output unit such as a monitor for displaying variousguide messages and a data selected by a user, a charge processing unitin order for a user, who received a music service, to pay for theservice, a recorder such as a CD recorder so that a user records aselected data onto a recording medium, and a control apparatus forcontrolling the above-described units and implementing a demand-onrecording medium.

The above-described conventional data vending machine system isclassified into three types. In the first type, the data stored in thestoring apparatus of a remote data vending machine are sold. In thesecond type, the remote data vending machine is connected with a hostcomputer via a high speed communication link for thereby downloading theinformation stored in the host computer. In the third type, the musicfiles stored in the storing apparatus of the remote data vending machineas well as the music files stored in the host computer are sold forthereby selling various data without using a high speed communicationlink. Namely, the storing apparatus is provided in the remote datavending machine, and the remote data vending machine is connected withthe host computer including a large capacity database through thecommunication link.

As a representative example of the third type, there is the JapanesePatent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-307866 (Nov. 19, 1993). In theabove-described reference, a plurality of remote data vending machineswhich are connected with a host computer through a communication lineare provided. Namely, in the reference, in order to overcome the problemthat the music files stored in the storing unit of the data vendingmachine, not connecting to the host computer, and a plurality of remotedata vending machines are connected with a host computer via thecommunication network. If a music file selected by a user does not existin the data vending machine, a transmission of a music file is requestedby a user and then is stored in the storing unit of the data vendingmachine and is recorded onto a recording medium of the user for therebyselling a music requested by the user. In addition, the remote datavending machine may include a charge paying unit for paying the serviceof the music selected by the user.

As another example of the remote data vending machine connected with ahost computer through a high speed communication link, the Korean PatentNo. 143358 granted to the IBM discloses “Digital data access, transferand music album manufacturing system”.

In the above-described conventional data vending machine systems, ademand-on music file is sold by the following processes. Namely, in theconventional data vending machine, when a customer pays for a costcorresponding to the selected data filed, the customer receives aselected data file from the host computer and records the same onto arecording medium, and then pays for a cost corresponding to the recordeddata files, so that the conventional data vending machine receives adata file, which is not stored in the storing unit of the vendingmachine, from the host computer and then records the received data fileonto a recording medium.

Therefore, in the above-described conventional vending machine system,in a state that a customer starts buying the music files, the data fileis downloaded from the host computer. When the downloading operation iscompleted, a recording operation is performed, so that it takes a longtime to download and record the selected music files.

In addition, in the conventional remote data vending machine, differentdata format files are stored in accordance with a user's request. If thedata files stored in the remote vending machine are lost, it is neededto recover the remote data vending machine using the data files whichare stored before the data are lost. However, in the conventional datavending machine system, it is impossible to recover the lost data files.Namely, if the data of the remote data vending machine are lost, it isimpossible to effectively overcome the lost data.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a datavending machine system and a method thereof which are capable ofminimizing time required for buying a compressed data file such as amusic file.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a data vendingmachine system and a method thereof which are capable of effectivelymanaging a storing unit installed in a remote data vending machine andrecovering a lost data file.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a data vendingmachine system and a method thereof which are capable of manufacturing ademand-on music album by printing a certain photo, character, andmessage on a recording medium.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a data vending machinewhich includes a first database for storing a plurality of digitalizeddata files, a management database for storing a management dataincluding a list of data files stored therein by each data vendingmachine, a sold date of each data file, and a sold number of the same, amanagement data updating unit for updating the management database inaccordance with a management data transferred from the data vendingmachine, a deletion instruction message generation unit for generating amessage for instructing a deletion data file which will be deleted amongthe data files stored in the data vending machine with reference to themanagement data corresponding to the management database when a datafile transfer request is received from the data vending machine, and atransferring unit for transferring a data file requested from the datavending machine to the data vending machine together with a deletionmessage generated by the deletion instruction message generation unit,each data vending machine, comprising a second database for storing apart of the data files stored in the first database of the hostcomputer, a listing and reserving apparatus for providing a listing andselection function and a procurement reservation function of the listsof the data files stored in the first database stored in the hostcomputer, a fabrication unit for reading a data file selected by acustomer from the second database of the data vending machine andrecording the read data file onto a recording medium, a chargeprocessing unit for processing the charge for the cost of the data file,and a main control apparatus for controlling the entire operations ofthe system, said main control apparatus, comprising a reservationinformation processing unit for requesting a transfer of the data fileswhich are not stored in the second database among the data filesreserved by the listing and reserving apparatus to the host computer, adatabase managing unit for deleting the deletion instructed data filefrom the second database when a deletion request data file is receivedfrom the transfer unit of the host computer together with the deletioninstruction message and storing the received data file onto the seconddatabase, a procurement processing unit for reading a data file selectedby the customer from the second database and recording the read datafile onto a recording medium by instructing to a fabrication unit, and aselling information transfer unit for storing a selling informationrelated to the procurement data file of the customer and transferring tothe host computer in the data vending machine which includes a hostcomputer and a plurality of remote data vending machine connected withthe host computer via a communication network.

In the data vending machine system according to the present invention,it is possible to efficiently use a certain storing capacity of eachremote vending machine storing unit by managing a database of eachremote vending machine at a central host computer and performing aback-up operation using the central host computer for thereby recoveringthe data vending machine using the data stored before an error occurs.In addition, in the present invention, it is possible to decrease timerequired when a user waits for buying a music file by downloading andstoring a data file which is not stored in a second database of the datavending machine among the data files selected by a customer from thehost computer before the customer pays for the music file.

The data vending machine includes a photo picturing apparatus forpicturing a photo of a customer in accordance with a control of the maincontrol apparatus, an input unit for inputting a character message inaccordance with a control of the main control apparatus, and a printingapparatus for printing a photo (or an image selected among the storedimages) of a customer pictured by the picturing apparatus in accordancewith a control of the main control apparatus and a character messageinputted by the customer on a surface of the recording medium.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a data vending methodwhich includes a first step for selecting a list of data files among thelists of a plurality of data files stored in the host computer andreserving the selected data files, a second step for receiving the datafiles which are not stored in the data vending machine among thereserved data files from the host computer and updating a database ofthe data vending machine using the received data files, a third step forchecking whether a reservation is made when a procurement is requestedby a customer, a fourth step for displaying the data files included in areservation information having a reservation number identical to thestored reservation information on a screen and checking whether a chargepayment is made when a reservation is made, a fifth step for instructingthe reserved data files to be recorded onto a recording medium when thecharge payment is made and storing a sold information of the data fileswhich will be recorded, a sixth step for checking whether the chargepayment is made in the case that a customer directly selects and buys acertain music file without making a reservation in the third step, aseventh step for displaying the list of the data files stored in thedatabase of the vending machine when the charge payment is made, aneighth step for instructing the selected data files to be recorded ontoa recordable recording medium when a certain data file is selected amongthe list of the displayed data files and storing an information of theselected and sold data files, and a ninth step for reading therecord-instructed data files from the database and recording onto aselected recording medium wherein the a data vending method adapted to asystem includes a host computer for storing a plurality of data filesand a plurality of remote vending machines connected with the hostcomputer via a communication network.

In the method of the data vending machine according to the presentinvention, it is possible to decreasing time required for buying a musicfile by downloading and storing a data file selected by a customer ontoa remote data vending machine before a customer pays for a music fileand selecting only a data file stored in the data vending machine forbuying a data music file in the case that a customer does not make areservation for buying the data music file.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a data vending machine systemaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a data vending machine according to thepresent invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are flow chart illustrating a main apparatus accordingto the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a music file recording process to a recordingmedium according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a data vending machine systemaccording to the present invention. As shown therein, reference numeral11 represents a central host computer, 12 represents a public switchingnetwork, 13 represents a router, 14-1 through 14-n represent listing andreserving apparatuses, 15 represents a main apparatus, 16 represents adatabase DB and fabrication control apparatus, 17 represents a CDrecorder, 18 represents a magnetic recorder, 19 represents a digitalcamera, 20 represents a charge processing unit, 21 represents a printingapparatus, 22 represents a recording medium discharging unit, and 23represents an empty recording medium storing and transferring unit.

The central host computer 11 includes a large capacity database forstoring a plurality of music files which are available in the datavending machine, an accounting and data gathering apparatus for payingan intellectual right service charge based on a music selection by auser and gathering a certain data used for a market search, and anetwork management unit for managing each remote data vending machineand controlling a system operation and network management. Here, thedata is compressed and stored in the database of the central hostcomputer 11 for implementing an efficient use of a storing capacity ofthe database and a fast data transfer. In addition, the central hostcomputer 11 includes a function for checking a sold quantity of themusic files and a charge corresponding to the sold music file, so that arecord manufacturing company and a license holder can easily check thesold quantity of the music files and others. The record company orlicense holder accesses the central host computer through a terminal forthereby checking the sold quantity of the music files. In addition,various functions may be provided in the central host computer. Thedescription of the known functions will be omitted.

In order to effectively manage the remote data vending machine, thecentral host computer 11 includes a list of the music files storedtherein, a data at the time when a certain music file is sold, and asold quantity of the music files.

Therefore, it is possible to effectively manage the storing unit of theremote data vending machine having a limited storing capacity. Even whenthe data are lost due to a certain error at the storing unit of the datavending machine, it is possible to effectively recover the lost data.Namely, in the case that the data stored in the remote data vendingmachine are lost, only a music file corresponding a list of the musicfiles corresponding to the error data vending machine managed by thecentral host computer 11 is transferred from the central host computer11 to a corresponding remote data vending machine, so that the lost dataare recovered using the data stored before an error occurs at thestoring unit of the data vending machine. In addition, in the centralhost computer 11, it is possible to check an inventory such as aprinting paper, an empty CD, an empty magnetic tape, etc. which are aconsumption article of the remote data vending machine. In addition, thestate of the system may be periodically or non-periodically checked bytransmitting a test signal to a corresponding data vending machine. Whenchecking an inventory and housing a consumption article by an operatorof each remote data vending machine, the amount of the consumptionarticle is inputted, and the consumption of the article is checked bythe remote vending machine whenever each consumption article isconsumed. The data corresponding to the thusly checked consumptionarticles are periodically transmitted to the central host computer, sothat it is possible to check an inventory of the consumption article.

In addition, the major features of the present invention for achievingthe above-described functions of the central host computer will beexplained in detail.

The central host computer includes a managing database for storing amanagement data including a list of the data files stored therein byeach data vending machine, a sold date, and a sold number of each musicfile, a management data update unit for updating a management databasein accordance with a management data transmitted from the remote datavending machine, a deletion instruction message generating unit forgenerating a message which instructs a data file deletion in the datafiles stored in the data vending machine with reference to themanagement data corresponding to the management database, and a transferunit for listing a data file requested at the data vending machinetogether with the message generated by the deletion instruction messagegeneration unit from a large capacity database and transferring to thedata vending machine.

Here, the management database may be provided in one system togetherwith the large capacity database or may be independently provided. Inaddition, the management data update unit and the deletion instructionmessage generation unit and transfer unit may be implemented using asoftware. The operation of the central host computer will be providedwhen describing the operation of the entire system.

The public switching network 12 may be a known telephone switchingnetwork. In addition, the communication network may be a certaincommunication network such as a cable TV communication network.

The remote data vending machine according to the present inventionincludes a router 13, listing and reserving apparatuses 14-1 through14-n, a main apparatus 15, a database and fabrication control apparatus16, a CD recorder 17, a magnetic recorder 18, a digital camera 19, acharge processing unit 20, a printing apparatus 21, a recording mediumdischarging unit 22, and an empty recording medium storing and transferunit 23.

The router 13 connects the listing and reserving apparatuses 14-1through 14-n and the main apparatus 15 and connects the database andfabrication control apparatus 16 with a LAN (Local Area Network) and thecentral host computer 11 through the public switching network 12.

The listing and reserving apparatuses 14-1 through 14-n, the mainapparatus 15, and the database and fabrication control apparatus 16 arean apparatus such as a personal computer. The listing and reservingapparatuses 14-1 thorough 14-n and the main apparatus 15 are not shownin the drawings but include a monitor for displaying, a keyboard forinputting data, and a touch screen. The listing and reservingapparatuses 14-1 through 14-n each provide a function for listing themusic when a customer buys a music file and reserving a certain musicfor buying the same. Namely, the listing and reserving apparatusesdisplay the entire music titles stored in the database of the centralhost computer. At this time, various menu are displayed on the listingand reserving apparatuses for listing the music by singer, genre, chartsequence, alphabetic sequence, music file series, etc.

Namely, when a customer makes a reservation using the listing andreserving apparatus, the listing and reserving apparatuses displayvarious menu in the above-described manner.

On the menu, the music file series represents a packaged music album,and the genre represents a pop song, country song, etc. When a certainitem is selected on the menu by a customer, the listing and reservingapparatus 14-1 reads the entire music lists corresponding to theselected menu from a hard disk of the main apparatus 15 and displays theselected lists on the screen.

When the entire music lists corresponding to the selected menu aredisplayed, the customer touches a certain item of the displayed listsusing a direction key or inputs a certain code of the displayed musicfiles using a keyboard for thereby selecting a certain music. Here, aprinted paper which is used so that the customer inputs a certain codeallocated to each music file for reserving the music may be providednear the remote data vending machine. Namely, the customer may select acertain music with reference to the lists on the screen and may reservea certain music by previously recognizing a certain code of the musicand inputting a code using the keyboard in the reserving apparatus. Thelists of the music selected by the customer are displayed on a certainportion of the monitor of the listing and reserving apparatus separatelyfrom the entire lists. When the selection of the music is completed bythe above-described method, the listing and reserving apparatus outputsa reserved number, and the customer is guided to input a passwordcorresponding to the reservation. The reservation information isreported to the main apparatus 15 by the above-described method.

In addition, when a customer selects a certain music, the thuslyselected music is reproduced for a certain time through an audioreproducing and output unit (not shown) of the listing and reservingapparatus. The main apparatus 15 includes a list of the entire musicfiles based on the menu, and the sample data of the entire music files,so that a sample data of the music selected by the customer using themain apparatus 15 or the listing and reserving apparatus 14-1 throughthe audio reproducing and output unit. Therefore, it is possible topreviously check the selected music before buying it.

A part of the music files stored in the large capacity database of thecentral host computer is stored in the database DB and the fabricationcontrol apparatus 16, and the music files selected by the customer arerecorded onto a recording medium.

In other words, a limited number of the music files is stored in thedatabase 16 of the data vending machine. In addition, the database 16 ismanaged by a control of the main apparatus 15. Namely, in the case thatthe music file reserved by the customer is not stored in the database16, the main apparatus 15 requests a download of the reserved music fileto the central host computer 11. In addition, when the main apparatus 15receives a music deletion file information and the requested music filefrom the central host computer, the music file instructed by the centralhost computer 11 is deleted from the database 16, and the requestedmusic file is stored in the database 16.

The fabrication control apparatus 16 includes a reading unit for readinga data file indicated by the main apparatus from the remote database, adecoding processing unit, a recording process unit, and a memory for abuffering function.

The decoding process unit decodes and buffers a certain music file readfrom the database in accordance with an instruction of the mainapparatus 15, and the recording process unit controls the recorder sothat the music file decoded by the decoding process unit is convertedonto a certain signal format proper for the selected recording medium.Therefore, since the fabrication control apparatus 16 performs thedecoding operation and the recording operation, it is possible todecrease time required for buying a certain music file. Preferably,since the music file are stored in the database 16 of the data vendingmachine is a compressed form, a process for decompressing the compressedfile is needed.

The recorder includes a CD recording unit 17 for recording a certainmusic onto a CD, and a magnetic recording unit 18 for recording themusic onto a magnetic tape such as an audio tape.

Various recording units which are proper to other recording medium maybe provided.

The main apparatus 15 receives a customer's music file reservation andperforms a communication with the central host computer 11 and performsan entire control operation for manufacturing a certain music filerequested by the customer.

Namely, the lists of the entire music files by the menu and the sampledata of the entire music files are stored in the hard disk of the mainapparatus 15. In addition, the main apparatus manages the lists of themusic files stored in the database 16 among the lists of the entiremusic files. In addition, the main apparatus 15 processes the contentsreserved by the listing and reserving apparatus 14-1, manages thedatabase 16, and transfers a recording start instruction to thefabrication control apparatus 16 for thereby fabricating the musicfiles, the main apparatus 15 reports the lists of the music sold to thecustomer and the sold date to the central host computer 11 whenever themusic files are sold. The inventory of the music files remaining in thecurrent data vending machine is periodically checked and reported to thecentral host computer 11. The main apparatus 15 checks the operationstates of each device of the remote data vending machine by aninstruction of the central host computer 11, and a result of the checkis reported to the central host computer 11.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the main apparatus mayreport to the central host computer after storing the most recently solddate of each music file and the selling number of the music fileswithout reporting to the same whenever the music files are sold. In theabove-described construction, it is possible to decrease the load of theaccess from the data vending machine to the central host computer butthe size of the reverse direction data transmission is increased, sothat the management data of the central host computer and the managementdata of the data vending machine are not coincided.

The operation of the main apparatus 15 will be explained in detail. Ifthere is not the reserved data by checking using the listing andreserving apparatus, the main apparatus 15 checks whether the musicfiles requested by the customer are stored in the database 16. As aresult of the check, if there is at least one music file which is notstored in the database 16, the main apparatus 15 requests a music filetransfer which is not stored in the database 16, to the central hostcomputer 11. In addition, when the main apparatus 15 receives therequested music files and a message for instructing a deletion of themusic file which will be deleted, from the central host computer 11, themain apparatus 15 deletes the instructed music file from the database 16and stores a newly received music file onto the database 16. The mainapparatus 15 deletes the thusly processed reserving information. Themain apparatus automatically deletes the reserving information which hasa certain elapsed time among the stored reserving information.

When a customer starts downloading the music file from the mainapparatus 15, the main apparatus 15 stores the list, sold date and soldnumber of the sold music files and transfers a recording startinstruction to the fabrication control apparatus 16 so that therequested music is recorded onto a recording medium at a short time. Themain apparatus 15 does not update the sold date and sold number in thecase that the customer made only a reservation, but updates the solddate and sold number in the case that the customer bought a music fileafter paying for the price of the music file.

In order to perform the above-described operations, the main apparatusincludes a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU performs the functionbased on a loaded program. Namely, the main control apparatus of themain apparatus includes a reserved information process function forrequesting a transfer of the data files to the central host computerwhich are not stored in the database among the data files reserved bythe listing and reserving apparatus, a database managing function fordeleting the instructed data file from the database when the data filerequested together with the deletion instruction message is receivedfrom the host computer and storing the received data file into thedatabase, a procurement process function for reading a data fileselected by a customer to the fabrication control apparatus 16 from thedatabase and instructing a recording operation onto the recordingmedium, a sold information transfer function for storing the soldinformation related to the procurement data files of the customer andtransferring the same to the host computer 11, and a function forchecking an inventory of the consumption article and transferring theinventory information to the host computer 11. The above-describedfunctions of the main control apparatus may be implemented by asoftware.

A digital camera 19, a charge processing unit 20, a printing apparatus21, a recording medium discharge unit 22, an empty recording mediumstoring and transferring unit 23, an audio reproducing and output unit(not shown), and etc. are connected with the main apparatus 15. Inaddition, The main apparatus 15 controls the above-described elements sothat the customer can buy a certain music file.

The digital camera 19 is used for taking a picture of a customer. Themain apparatus 15 controls the system so that the digital camera 19takes a picture of the customer while the music files selected by thefabrication control apparatus 16 are being recorded onto a recordingmedium. In addition, the main apparatus 15 controls the system so thatthe customer directly writes a certain character message on the touchscreen or types a certain character message using a keyboard, and thelike. The above-described photo and character message input areperformed while the requested music files are being recorded, and animage file of the photos and the inputted character message are printedon the surface of the recording medium by a control of the mainapparatus 15. Therefore, the thusly manufactured recording medium isproduced as a demand-on music album. Various image files may be storedin the system, so that a customer selects a certain image for printingthe same onto the recording medium.

The printing apparatus 21 is used for printing a certain image selectedfrom the photos pictured using the digital camera 19, the images storedin the system, or a character message inputted by the customer on thesurface of the recording medium.

The charge processing unit 20 is provided for paying for the cost of themusic file. The charge processing unit 20 may include one of a cashrecognizing and small change unit and a magnetic credit card checkingunit and may include both of the same. A receipt printer and dischargeunit may be further included.

The recording medium discharge unit 22 is used for discharging thefabricated recording medium to the outside of the system.

The remote recording medium storing and transfer unit 23 stores arecordable empty CD or an empty magnetic tape. In addition, when a musicfile request is received, the empty recording medium storing andtransfer unit 23 transfers a recordable empty CD or an empty magnetictape to the CD recording unit 17 or the magnetic recording unit 18. Whenthe recording operation is finished, the empty CD or empty magnetic tapeis transferred from the recording unit 17 or 18 to the printingapparatus 21. The audio reproducing and output unit (not shown) outputsa guide broadcast and is used in order for the customer to listen thesample data selected by the customer.

The network management and database management between the host computerand the remote data vending machine which are not described in the aboveare implemented by the known methods.

The operation of the data vending machine system according to thepresent invention will be explained with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a reservation process, an operation of alisting and reserving apparatus, and an operation of the main apparatusaccording to the present invention.

In the present invention, in order to rapidly record a music filerequested by a customer onto a recording medium, there is provided areserving function. At the time when the customer buys a certain musicfile using the main apparatus 15, the music file has been already storedin the database 16 of the data vending machine. Namely, the music fileswhich are not stored in the database 16 are previously downloaded fromthe central host computer 11 by the main apparatus 15 before thecustomer buys the music files using the main apparatus 15. When thecharge is paid for the cost of the music file using the main apparatus15, and the fabrication control apparatus 16 reads an instructed musicfile from the database and records the read music file onto a recordingmedium in accordance with an instruction of the main apparatus 15. Inaddition, while the fabrication control apparatus 16 is performing arecording operation, a photo of a customer is pictured for printing thephoto of the customer on a surface of the recording medium in accordancewith a control of the main apparatus 15 (or a certain image among therelated stored images is selected), and a character message is inputtedthrough a touch screen or a keyboard. In addition, upon finishing therecording operation by the fabrication control apparatus 16, a photo (orimage) and a character message is printed on a surface of the recordingmedium in accordance with a control of the main apparatus 15. Therefore,the customer does not feel that it takes a long time because thecustomer has just finished the photo picturing operation and characterinput operation. At this time, much recording operation had been alreadyproceeded, the customer actually feels it takes only time lag requiredfor printing the photo and character message.

As shown in FIG. 2, in a state that the listing and reserving apparatusdisplays an initial screen in Step 101, when a customer makes areservation in Step 102, the menu screen is displayed in Step 103. Whenthe customer selects a certain menu on the menu screen, a part of thelists of the entire music files corresponding to the selected menu isdisplayed. A window for the next step is displayed on the screen, sothat it is possible to selectively select a list of the entire musicfiles.

When the list of the music files is displayed on the monitor, it ispossible to select a certain music by touching a portion of the screen,inputting a code corresponding to each music file, or double-clicking acertain music file using a mouse. When the customer selects a certainmusic in Step 106, the list of the selected music is displayed on acertain portion of the screen, and the sample data corresponding to theselected music is played. Here, in the case that the customer selectsthe next music, the reproducing operation of the sample data isfinished.

When the customer finishes selecting a certain music file by theabove-described method in Step 108, a reservation number is outputted,and a message that a password input is required is displayed in Step109. In the present invention, the case that the reservation number isprovided in sequence by a certain apparatus is adapted. In anotherembodiment of the present invention, the reservation number may berandomly inputted. However, it is preferred that the reservation numberis sequentially provided.

When a customer inputs a password using a keyboard in Step 110, areservation number and a password corresponding thereto are stored. Areservation information including a list of the reserved music files,the reservation number and the password is transferred to the mainapparatus in Step 111. When the reservation is completed by theabove-described method, the listing and reserving apparatus is returnedto the initial state.

The main apparatus 15 periodically checks whether a reservationinformation transferred from the listing and reserving apparatus isstored. When one reservation information is stored, the main apparatus15 checks whether there is a music file which is not stored in thedatabase among the music files included in the reservation information.As a result of the check, if there is a music file which is stored inthe database, the main apparatus 15 requests a download of the musicfile which is not stored in the database, to the central host computerin Step 112.

The central host computer 11 includes a list of the music files storedin the database of each remote data vending machine and a managementdatabase including the sold date and sold number of the music files.When a download is performed from the remote data vending machine, or areport is received from the remote data vending machine, the managementdatabase is updated. Namely, a download request of the music file isreceived from the main apparatus 15 of the remote data vending machine,the central host computer 11 generates a message for instructing adeletion of the music file which has small sold number among the musicfiles stored in the database of the remote data vending machine withreference to the management data corresponding to the remote datavending machine which requests a download of the music file from themanagement database and transfers a newly requested music file to themain apparatus together with the thusly generated deletion instructionmessage in Step 113. In addition, when a response corresponding theretois received from the main apparatus 15, the central host computer 11updates a management data corresponding to the remote data vendingmachine. Here, the central host computer 11 selects a plurality ofdeletion possible music files which have the small sold number, and amusic file which has the smallest sold number is selected as a file tobe deleted.

When a requested music file is received together with a deletioninstruction message from the central host computer 11, the mainapparatus 15 deletes the instructed music file from the database 16 andstores the requested music file onto the database 16 and updates thelists of the music files stored in the database 16 in Step 114. Here,the updating operation of the lists of the music files stored in theremote database 16 is performed by forming a flag field in the tablewhich stores the lists of the entire music files or by setting the flator un-setting the same. In addition, in a state that a data selection ordata input is requested by the customer in the above-describedoperation, even when no input is performed during a certain time period,the proceeding state is initialized, and the routine is returned to theinitial state.

The operation that a customer buys a music file using the main apparatuswill be explained with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

In an initial state in Step 201, when a customer starts buying a certainmusic file in Step 202, the customer is requested to pay for the musicfile in Step 203. When the payment is performed in Step 204, the type ofthe recording medium is selected by the customer in Step 205. When thecustomer selects a certain recording medium, it is checked whether areservation is made or a corresponding music file is directly selectedby the customer in Step 206. The above-described sequence is notimportant to implement the objects of the present invention. Namely, thesequence may be changed. For example, in a state that the customerstarts buying a certain music file, it is checked whether the customermade a reservation or directly selects the music file. After theabove-described operation, the charge may be paid. In addition, when thecustomer selects a certain recording medium, the main apparatus controlsthe transfer unit 23 for moving the selected recording medium to therecording unit.

In Step 206, when the customer's reservation is confirmed, the customeris requested to input a reservation number and password. When thereservation number and password are inputted, it is checked whether theinputted reservation number exists in the stored reservation number, andthe password corresponds to the stored password in Step 208. If notcoincided, a re-input is requested. If coincided, the reserved contentsare displayed in Step 209. When a confirmation key corresponding to thereserved contents is inputted from the customer in Step 210, the mainapparatus 15 transfers a recording start instruction to the fabricationcontrol apparatus 16 so that the selected music files are recorded ontothe selected recording medium and stores the list of the sold musicfiles, the sold date, and the sold number and transfers to the centralhost computer 11.

In a state that the customer does not make a reservation, the customerdirectly selects a certain music file in Step 206, the main apparatus 15displays only the lists of the music files stored in the remote database16 in Step 212. When a certain music is selected by the customer in thelot of the music files displayed on the screen in Step 213, the title ofthe music selected by the customer is displayed in another region, andat the same time, the sample data is reproduced in Step 214. In thisstate, if the customer selects a cancellation in Step 215, the selectedmusic is cancelled in Step 216, and the routine is returned to Step 212in which the list of the music files stored in the local database isdisplayed.

In Step 215, when the customer selects a confirmation, the confirmationkey is inputted, and at the same time, the main apparatus 15 transfers arecording start instruction to the fabrication control apparatus 16 sothat the selected music file is recorded onto the selected recordingmedium and stores the list of the sold music files, the sold date, andthe sold number in Step 217. Continuously, when the customer selectsanother music, the steps 213 trough 217 are performed again. When thecustomer finishes selecting the music files, the customer is requestedto select one of the images such as a stored character, a photo ofsinger, etc. in Step 219.

If the customer wishes to print his photo in Step 220, the mainapparatus 15 guides the customer to prepare a picturing operation. Thecounts are counted down to display the moment of the picturingoperation. The photo picturing operation is repeatedly performed for acertain time by controlling the digital camera. In the presentinvention, preferably, the photo picturing operation is performed threetimes, so that the customer can select the best photo. The mainapparatus 15 displays the photo obtained by the digital camera on thescreen in Step 221, and the customer is requested to select one among aplurality of photos in Step 222. When a certain photo is selected, theselected photo is temporarily stored in Step 223.

If the customer wishes to select one of the stored images, the selectionmenu is displayed so that the customer selects. When one image among thestored images is selected on the menu screen in Step 224, the selectedimage file is temporarily stored in Step 225.

Next, in order to receive the character message, it is confirmed whetherthe character message is inputted on the touch screen or inputted usingthe keyboard by the customer in Step 226. In the case that the customerinputs a character message using the touch screen, the character messageinputted using the touch screen is temporarily stored. In the case thatthe customer inputs a character message using the keyboard, thecharacter message inputted using the keyboard is temporarily stored inStep 227.

In addition, when a recording completion message that the selected musicfile has been recorded onto the recording medium is received in Step228, the main apparatus 15 moves the fabricated recording medium fromthe recording unit to the printing apparatus by controlling the transferunit and controls the printing apparatus so that the photo (or image)and character message which are temporarily stored is printed on thesurface of the recording medium in Step 229. In addition, the printedrecording medium is discharged to the outside of the system in Step 230,and the routine is returned to the initial state.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining an operation of the fabricationcontrol apparatus according to the present invention.

In a standby mode in Step 301, when a procurement start signal isreceived from the main apparatus, the transfer unit moves the recordingmedium from the empty recording medium storing unit to the recordingunit. In addition, as a certain music file is selected by a customer,when the main apparatus 15 requests a recording start or requests arecording start of the reserved music file in Step 302, the fabricationcontrol apparatus 16 reads a requested music file from the database andstores the same onto the buffer. The buffered first music is decoded,and buffered. In addition, the buffered decoding data is converted ontoa certain format proper to the selected recording medium and is recordedonto the initialized recording medium in Steps 303 and 304. In otherwords, the fabrication control apparatus 16 includes a data readingunit, a buffering unit, a decoding process unit and a recording processunit.

In addition, the data reading unit reads a music file indicated by thedatabase, and the read music file is buffered onto the buffer. When thedecoding process unit performs a decoding and buffering operations withrespect to the buffered first music, the recording process unitinitialize the recording medium. At the time when the decoding processunit decodes one music file and buffers the same, the recordingprocessing unit records the buffered music file onto the recordingmedium. In other words, the data reading unit, the decoding processunit, and the recording process unit are independently operated butsequentially perform the data reading, decoding and recordingoperations.

When the recording operation of the music files selected by the customeris finished in Steps 305 and 306, the fabrication control apparatus 16reports the recording operation to the main apparatus 15. When therecording completion received from the fabrication control apparatus 16,the main apparatus 15 controls the printing operation.

The above-described embodiment of the present invention has somefeatures which are different from the conventional art to minimize thewaiting time of the customer. Namely, in the conventional data vendingmachine system, when the customer selects a plurality of music files andthen is requested to pay for the charge of the music files. When thepayment is made, the music files which do not exist in the database ofthe system are downloaded from the central host computer, and then therecording medium is moved to the recording unit. Thereafter, the musicfiles are recorded. In this case, the customer must wait long time tobuy the music files. Therefore, it is very inconvenient.

In order to overcome the above-described problems of the conventionaldata vending machine, before the customer starts buying the music files,the music files selected by the customer are stored in the remotedatabase. For implementing the above-described operation, in the presentinvention, a reserving function is provided. In the case that thecustomer does not make a reservation, the customer can buy only themusic files which do not exist in the remote database. Therefore, in thepresent invention, when the customer starts buying the music files, themusic files are transferred from the central host computer, so that itis possible to decrease time required for downloading the music files.In the embodiments of the present invention, the payments are madebefore selecting the music files through the main apparatus 15, and thenthe recording medium is selected, and the recordable recording medium ismoved to the recording unit before the music selection is made.Therefore, in the present invention, only a certain number of the musicfiles selected by the customer can be sold. Namely, the music fileswhich are recorded onto one CD are not variable. For example, in thepresent invention, the number of music files is 5. In addition, uponselecting one music file through the main apparatus, the decoding andrecording operations are performed. After the procurement confirmationkey is inputted, it is impossible to cancel the selected music files.Therefore, in the present invention, after one music file is selected bya customer, the decoding and recording operation is performed by thefabrication control apparatus while the next music file is beingselected. In addition, at the time when the music selection is completedby the customer, it is possible to record many music files. Thereafter,while the customer is taking his picture and inputting a charactermessage, the music decoding and recording operation is almost finished.When the recording operation is finished, and the photo picturing andcharacter message inputting operations are completed, the photo of thecustomer and the character message are printed on the surface of therecording medium. Namely, when buying one CD in the present invention,the customer actually needs only the time required for printing thephoto and character message on the surface of the recording medium. Inaddition, after the recording operation is completed, when the customerdoes not finish the photo picturing and character message input, in thepresent invention, a certain default image and character message areprinted.

In the database of the remote data vending machine according to thepresent invention, a limited number of music files, for example, 2000music files, is stored. In order to effectively manage the stored musicfiles, the list of the music files stored in the database of the remotedata vending machine is managed by the central host computer. The filewhich will be deleted from the remote database is instructed thereby. Ifthe database of the remote data vending machine is lost or damaged, thelost or damaged database of the remote data vending machine is recoveredusing the management database of a corresponding remote data vendingmachine stored in the central host computer. Different music files arestored in each data vending machine in accordance with the demands ofthe customer.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the casethat the listing and reserving apparatus was installed at the remotedata vending machine was described. Preferably, another embodiment ofthe present invention may be adapted as follows.

A customer checks the list of the entire music files which are soldthrough a terminal connected with an internet network or a packetcommunication network. Namely, the screen for a listing and reservingoperation is displayed on the terminal. The customer selects a musicfile and makes a reservation the same on the terminal. At this time, thecentral host computer asks the customer to input an inherent number ofthe data vending machine belong to the installation area of the datavending machine. At this time, the central host computer displays aninherent number and a region information of the data vending machineinstalled in a certain region. When the customer inputs an inherentnumber of the data vending machine in the region, the central hostcomputer outputs a reservation number and requests the customer to inputthe password. When the customer inputs the password, the central hostcomputer stores the reserved music files and the reservation number andthe password and transfers the reservation information to the mainapparatus of the data vending machine designated by the customer. Theabove-described operation is performed by the main apparatus of the datavending machine. Since the reservation number is provided by the centralhost computer, the reservation provided by the data vending machine isdifferent.

As the listing and reserving apparatus, a known telephone network may beused. Namely, the customer may input an inherent number corresponding toeach music file using a telephone network which is capable oftransferring a voice guide message, and then the reservation number isoutputted, and the password is inputted.

In the present invention, after the charge is paid, the music selectionis performed. Preferably, the music file selection may be performed withrespect to the music files stored in the remote data vending machine,and then the charge ay be paid in accordance with the number of theselected music files.

In addition, in the present invention, the music files are old. Inanother embodiment of the present invention, a digitalized video datamay be sold using the data vending machine according to the presentinvention. The present invention is not limited to the selling of themusic files. Any kinds of the digital data may be sold.

As described above, in the present invention, it is possible to buy arecording medium which is fabricated by a customer for a shortest timeand effectively manage the database of the remote data vending machinehaving a limited storing capacity and recover a lost and damageddatabase using a back-up database. In addition, in the presentinvention, it is possible to fabricate a demand-on music album byprinting a photo, image, or character message on a surface of therecording medium selected by the customer.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas recited in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a data vending machine including a host computer and a plurality of remote data vending machine connected with the host computer via a communication network, said host computer, comprising: a first database for storing a plurality of digitalized data files; a management database for storing a management data including a list of data files stored therein by each data vending machine, a sold date of each data file, and a sold number of the same; a management data updating means for updating the management database in accordance with a management data transferred from the data vending machine; a deletion instruction message generation means for generating a message for instructing a deletion data file which will be deleted among the data files stored in the data vending machine with reference to the management data corresponding to the management database when a data file transfer request is received from the data vending machine; and a transferring means for transferring a data file requested from the data vending machine to the data vending machine together with a deletion message generated by the deletion instruction message generation means, each data vending machine, comprising: a second database for storing a part of the data files stored in the first database of the host computer; a listing and reserving means for providing a listing and selection function and a procurement reservation function of the lists of the data files stored in the first database stored in the host computer; a fabrication means for reading a data file selected by a customer from the second database of the data vending machine and recording the read data file onto a recording medium; a charge processing means for processing the charge for the cost of the data file; and a main control means for controlling the entire operations of the system, said main control means, comprising: a reservation information processing means for requesting a transfer of the data files which are not stored in the second database among the data files reserved by the listing and reserving means to the host computer; a database managing means for deleting the deletion instructed data file from the second database when a deletion request data file is received from the transfer means of the host computer together with the deletion instruction message and storing the received data file onto the second database; a procurement processing means for reading a data file selected by the customer from the second database and recording the read data file onto a recording medium by instructing to a fabrication means; and a selling information transfer means for storing a selling information related to the procurement data file of the customer and transferring to the host computer.
 2. The data vending machine of claim 1, wherein said procurement processing means of the main control means displays a data file included in a reservation information having a matched reservation number in the case of a procurement based on a reservation, instructs a recording start of the reserved data files when the charge payment is made by the charge processing means, and instructs a recording start of a selected data file upon checking that a data file is sold among the list of the data files stored in the second database when a charge payment is made by the charge processing means in the case of a direct music file selection.
 3. The data vending machine of claim 1, wherein said procurement processing means of the main control means displays a charge corresponding to all selected data files when a selection is made by a customer and instructs a recording start to the fabrication means so that all data files selected by the customer are recorded onto the recording medium.
 4. The data vending machine of claim 1, wherein said data vending machine includes: a photo picturing means for picturing a photo of a customer in accordance with a control of the main control means; an input means for inputting a character message in accordance with a control of the main control means; and a printing means for printing a photo (or an image selected among the stored images) of a customer pictured by the picturing means in accordance with a control of the main control means and a character message inputted by the customer on a surface of the recording medium.
 5. The data vending machine of claim 4, wherein said data vending machine includes: an empty recording medium means for storing a recordable empty recording medium; and a transfer means controlled by the procurement processing means for transferring the empty recording medium stored in the empty recording medium storing means to the fabrication means and transferring the recording medium recorded by the fabrication means to the printing means.
 6. The data vending machine of claim 4, wherein said fabrication means includes: a buffering means; a data reading means for reading a data file instructed by the procurement processing means from the second database and temporarily storing onto the buffering means; a decoding means for decoding a data file buffered by the data reading means; a recording control means for converting the data file decoded by the decoding means onto a format proper to the selected recording medium; and more than one recording means for recording the converted data onto a recording medium in accordance with a control of the recording control means.
 7. The data vending machine of claim 1, wherein said main control means includes an inventory information transferring means for storing an inventory of a consumption article consumed by each data vending machine, updating an inventory of the stored consumption article whenever the consumption article is consumed and periodically or non-periodically transferring to the host computer.
 8. The data vending machine of claim 1, wherein said host computer includes a reservation information transferring means, and said listing and reserving means is connected with the host computer via a communication network and is installed at a portion different from that of the data vending machine wherein the list of the data files stored in the host computer is listed by the listing and receiving means, and when the data vending machine installed at a certain region is designated, the reservation information transfer means of the host computer transfers the reserved information to the designated data vending machine.
 9. The data vending machine of claim 8, wherein said listing and reserving means includes one of a terminal installed at a customer side connected with the host computer via an internet network, a terminal installed at a customer side connected with the host computer via a packet communication network, and a telephone connected with a telephone switching network.
 10. In a data vending method adapted to a system including a host computer for storing a plurality of data files and a plurality of remote vending machines connected with the host computer via a communication network, a data vending method, comprising: a first step for selecting a list of data files among the lists of a plurality of data files stored in the host computer and reserving the selected data files; a second step for receiving the data files which are not stored in the data vending machine among the reserved data files from the host computer and updating a database of the data vending machine using the received data files; a third step for checking whether a reservation is made when a procurement is requested by a customer; a fourth step for displaying the data files included in a reservation information having a reservation number identical to the stored reservation information on a screen and checking whether a charge payment is made when a reservation is made; a fifth step for instructing the reserved data files to be recorded onto a recording medium when the charge payment is made and storing a sold information of the data files which will be recorded; a sixth step for checking whether the charge payment is made in the case that a customer directly selects and buys a certain music file without making a reservation in the third step; a seventh step for displaying the list of the data files stored in the database of the vending machine when the charge payment is made; an eighth step for instructing the selected data files to be recorded onto a recordable recording medium when a certain data file is selected among the list of the displayed data files and storing an information of the selected and sold data files; and a ninth step for reading the record-instructed data files from the database and recording onto a selected recording medium.
 11. The data vending method of claim 10, further comprising: a tenth step for temporarily storing an image selected by a customer while the instructed data files are being stored onto the recording medium; and an eleventh step for printing the temporarily stored image on a surface of the recording medium when the recording operation is completed.
 12. The data vending method of claim 11, further comprising a twelfth step for temporarily storing a character message inputted by the customer and printing the temporarily stored character message on a surface of the recording medium when the recording operation is completed.
 13. The data vending method of claim 10, wherein said second step includes: a thirteenth step for requesting a transfer of the data file which is not stored in the data vending machine among the reserved data files to the host computer; a fourteenth step for transferring the deletion requested data file to the data vending machine together with the message which instructs a deletion of the data files among the data files stored in the data vending machine in the host computer; and a fifteenth step for deleting the deletion data file instructed by the host computer in the data vending machine from the database of the data vending machine and storing the requested data file onto the database.
 14. The data vending method of claim 13, wherein said deletion instruction message includes a data file information which has the smallest sold number among the oldest sold date data files.
 15. The data vending machine of claim 10, wherein said ninth step includes: a sixteenth step for reading the record-instructed data file from the database and buffering the data; a seventeenth step for decoding and buffering the buffered data file and initializing a recordable recording medium; an eighteenth step for recording the buffered decoding data onto the recordable recording medium, reading the selected data file from the database and decoding and buffering the same; and a nineteenth step for reporting a recording completion when the recording operation of all selected data files is finished.
 16. The data vending machine of claim 11, wherein said tenth step includes: a twentieth step for checking whether a customer pictures his photo or selects one of the stored images while the selected data file is being recorded onto the recording medium; a twenty fist step for picturing a photo of a customer when the customer wishes to take a picture and displaying the pictured photo on a screen; a twenty second step for temporarily storing the photo selected by the customer among the displayed photos; and a twenty third step for displaying a plurality of images by the menu when the customer requests a selection of an image among the stored images in the twentieth step; and a twenty fourth step for temporarily storing an image file selected by the customer among the displayed images.
 17. The data vending method of claim 12, wherein said character message input step includes: a twenty fifth step for checking whether a character message is inputted using a keyboard or a character message is inputted using a touch screen; a twenty sixth step for temporarily storing an inputted character message when the character message is inputted using the keyboard in the twenty fifth step; and a twenty seventh step for temporarily storing an inputted character message when the character message is inputted using the touch screen in the twenty fifth step. 